Greed
by blueprintLV
Summary: In a world full of unfairness, the story follows the life of a silent boy with the name Ayato. The boy's life has never been fair, but he didn't expect it to be. He, however, didn't know that a single meeting with Issei Hyoudou and Rias Gremory would spin his life in a direction that he would never imagined. /Angst and Revenge/OC and the DxD character centric. No harem stealing./
1. Life

_Money._

_The world works on it._

_Without money you are nothing in this world._

_With money you can be anything you want._

* * *

His eyes were blurry as the worlds sounds came back to him. Or rather..the lack of sounds. The lack of his teachers voice.

He raised his head from the desk and looked upwards, blinking a few times so his vision would focus.

''Am I really that boring to you, Ayato?'' – He said. –''Do you find these lectures unneeded?''

''..No..sir.'' – Ayato tried to sink back into his chair..or rather he wished to disappear as everyone's eyes focused on him at that moment.

''Oh really? I'm serious, if you don't want to listen to me, you can go right ahead and exit this class.''

''No..sir.'' – Ayato answered in a quiet voice. –''..I'm sorry for falling asleep.''

The class chuckled.

The teacher sighed. –''Don't play games so late and everything will be fine.''

''Yes..sir.'' – Ayato said and brought his head lower.

The class chuckled once again as the teacher continued his lecture.

Ayato's eyes were refusing to keep open as he tried to concentrate on the teacher.

..

As the classes ended, Ayato quickly left the school. It went without troubles and no one bothered him, but something caught his eyes. The schools most beautiful girl was walking with one of the three perverts.

_''..That's odd.''_ – He thought to himself but threw it out of his mind. He looked at his trusty, old-school Casio watch and noted that he had twenty minutes to get to his part time job.

A few minutes passed and he turned into his apartment complex. His apartment was on the second floor. He took the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the doors in a rather awkward motion.

The doors opened with a creek and his half empty, half messy room was pulled into the view. Ayato dropped his bag by his small desk and quickly pulled off his clothes.

He pulled on the black uniform pants and went into the bathroom. He washed his face at the sink.

He looked upwards, staring at his own reflection. Ayato had average facial features. He had black, dull eyes that had blue rings below them and black, messy hair. His demeanor was rather calm and distant for the most time.

He slapped himself a few times, in hopes of slapping away the tiredness. He used an old towel and wiped his face, as he went outside of the bathroom.

He threw on a white shirt and a vest and when his black shoes were on, he quickly moved outside, to lock his doors and go.

As the doors locked with a metallic sound, he heard a voice.

He turned and looked upwards.

''You're 5 days late on your rent, kid.'' – He said and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at Ayato with his condescending gaze.

He was the manager of the building...his name had fallen out of Ayato's mind.

''...I will bring it.''

''When?''

''..Tomorrow..''

He snickered. –''Tomorrow..what?''

''Tomorrow, sir.'' – Ayato answered, spitting the ''sir'' part over his lips.

The manager turned to walk away.

Ayato sighed. _–''..Asshole.''_

The cafe where Ayato worked was located in a 5 minute-walk distance from his apartment, and thus he got to it in no time.

He had made it in time and began to serve customers, taking orders in his usual, calm and passive demeanor.

The cafe was a small, homely place that Ayato found by coming to eat and do homework at. He served a few customers, some of the usuals who even greeted him.

It was after school time, and thus, the small cafe was bustling with people. He heard the door chime as some more people were coming in, but he didn't really look in their direction until one of the other serving girls spoke up.

''Ayato, can you seat them?'' –She spoke, as they passed each other.

Ayato nodded without a word and moved towards the entrance.

''Welcome to-'' – Ayato was about to say the usual greeting, but his voice cut off when his eyes went up to the two people who had arrived. –''..REPLY.''

The girl's blue eyes looked at Ayato while the other man's dark brown widened a bit.

It was Issei Hyoudou and Rias Gremory...on what seemed like a date. Both of them were a bit taller than Ayato and looked down at him slightly.

''Ayato, you work here?'' – Issei asked, knowing his name from the fact that they were classmates.

''Mhm.'' – He responded and gestured to the side. –''..Come. I'll show you to your seats. Closer to the end or wherever?''

''..Somewhere quieter.'' – The Gremory responded.

Ayato nodded and lead them to a desk at the deeper side of the cafe, without saying a word more.

As he walked back, having taken their orders, the same girl he worked with grabbed his wrist.

''..Was that The Rias Gremory with a boy?''

Ayato nodded and pulled his arm away, seemingly uninterested in the happening.

...

The day went without a hitch, if you excluded the fact that Issei and Gremory had a date. It had gotten late and he was walking home. Most people didn't really notice him as he blended in with the crowd, making himself even smaller because he was slouching his back.

When he arrived at his apartment, he noticed that the doors to his apartment were open and he knew for sure that he had locked them.

He understood on the spot who it was. He slammed the doors open and walked inside. As soon as the small corridor ended and his room came into the view, he noticed the shadows lumping over it.

''..'Bout time.'' – A man in a suit spoke up. A dark black, elegant suit with white buttons and a white shirt underneath. He was sitting in Ayato's only chair.

Ayato's eyes pulled narrower and he began to sweat. His heart began to race. Without the main man, 4 other tall and big looking men were inside the small room.

''A small, 1 room apartment. After school you go to a part time job to scrape up a bit of money to eat and pay the rent. Ain't that cute?'' – The man spoke in a low-pitch voice. –''That means your step-parents aren't giving you any money, huh? Tough luck, kid.''

''..I don't want their fucking money, Masaru.'' – Ayato responded, calling the man by his name.

''It's been what, 4 months since you moved and changed schools? How has life been treating you?'' –He asked, with a voice that didn't sound interested.

''Like always.'' – Ayato gave him a short answer, like he always did. It was a habit he had – to answer as short as he could.

''..I've been bored, you know. You haven't visited me once ever since.'' – Masaru chuckled.-''Besides...I have a job for you.''

Ayato froze up and made a ''che'' sound.

''What? Don't tell me you've forgotten the big debt your parents left when they died?'' – He chuckled, while Ayato's palms pulled into fists.

Ayato didn't respond.

''..Haha. Some dog forgot their spot in some things...besides. He too owes me some money. If you...rough him up a bit..I will pull some cash off the debt and give you some to spend.''

''...How much money?'' – Ayato asked in a silent voice.

''50000 yen.'' – He responded and smiled. – ''Besides, I would assume his place has some money there as well.''

Ayato quickly calculated things in his mind. He needed the money...with it he could pay the rent and buy some better food...besides, he needed new shoes.

''..Greed over everything? Wasn't that your saying?'' – Ayato asked as he clicked his tongue. –''I'll do it. Wouldn't be the first time, right?''

The man named Masaru got up from the chair and towered over Ayato. Ayato didn't look upwards.

''Haha.''- He laughed and put his long hand on Ayato's head.– ''I left the address and other info on your table. I simply knew you would accept...because you are just like me.''

He pulled his hand off Ayato's head, put both of his arms in his pockets and walked off, leaving Ayato standing in the middle of his room, motionless.

When he heard the doors close he fell face first into his bed. He put an alarm for an hour later and closed his eyes, falling asleep instantly.

...

Ayato was standing on a rooftop, looking down on an apartment complex. He was wearing an old, worn out dark blue hoodie, black, well fitting pants and worn out sneakers. The hoodie that was pulled over his head, together with his messy hair, covered his face pretty well.

As he stood and waited, he heard police car sirens in the distance...and then he saw a dark car pull in by the street. The drivers side doors opened and out stepped an average sized man who quickly looked in every direction, seemingly paranoid about someone following him.

The man sighed when he was sure that no one was following him and he went up the ladders, to his apartment. It was the third floor. He opened the doors, looked around once again and entered.

Ayato, onlooking from his vantage point sighed. _''..Look upwards next time, idiot.''_

He quickly turned around and went down the ladders on the side of the building. It wasn't some manga for him to jump off the roof or anything like that. He moved over the street and up the apartment complex stairs.

He slowly touched the door handle and pushed down on it. The doors didn't budge. He sighed again. He stepped back and felt his heartbeat raise trough the roof. He inhaled and exhaled deeply.

''...Fuck.'' – He said to himself and kicked the door in. They opened with a bang as he kicked the lock.

He quickly stepped in, noting the darkness. As he stepped trough the corridor, only the moonlight illuminated the room. He looked over it, not seeing anyone. Complete silence enveloped him as moved forwards trough the room. It was a basic living room with a sofa in the middle of it.

As he reached the middle point of the room, going towards one of the doors he heard footsteps behind him.

He launched himself to the side, as a knife slashed by his hood.

His heartbeat became even louder and faster, now seemingly beating in his ears as adrenaline made his arms shake. He raised them and stepped backwards.

The man smiled with the knife extended in front of him. ''Who sent you? The goddamn yakuza? Or was it the other guys?''

Ayato didn't answer as he had now stepped back, near a desk. His eyes flickered downwards for a second and looked back up into the man's eyes. It was just that moment that let Ayato recognize where the vase was located.

In a instant he grabbed it and threw it at the man in front of him. The vase shattered against the wall as the man swiped his arm sideways, but in that exact moment Ayato had charged. His arms went up as he grabbed into the mans wrists. The man tried to force the knife lower, but Ayato's strength surprised the man for a second, as Ayato headbutted him in the jaw. He stumbled back and the knife slid out of his hands and hit the wood floor with a clang.

Ayato knee'd the man in the stomach a time or two before he was pushed off. Without thinking he threw a punch that was dodged and he was hit in the face.

He stumbled backwards and dodged a hit, completely focused on the fight. He quickly stepped to the man's side and punched him in the ribs.

As soon as he leaned down in pain, Ayato punched him the side of his head. Twice.

In that moment, the man dropped his guard and was pushed against the wall. Ayato punched him in the stomach a time or three.

The man of course fell to his knees. Now, Ayato grabbed his collar and pulled it upwards.

''Masao doesn't forget.'' – He said as he pushed his head against the wall behind him. A loud thud echoed over the empty room. –''...You were made by him. Because of him.''

Ayato punched him in the nose and it cracked, releasing a rather bone freezing sound, but he didn't fumble or mind it. His mind was on autopilot after all.

''...Remember it.'' – He said and smacked him in the face again, this time blood spurted over his arm. –''..Because he will take everything from you.''

He was holding the man by the collar, with his bloody fist raised when he sensed that someone was watching him. He turned his head sideways and noticed that the door to the next room was open just a little bit. Trough the small opening, a single eye was taking a peek on what was happening. The single eye was so low, that Ayato had to assume it was the man's child.

The eye disappeared as soon they made eye contact and Ayato heard quiet footsteps moving back. The adrenaline rush suddenly bursted and Ayato's numb calmness fell back. His arms began to shake and he released the man. He fell to the ground with a thud.

Ayato, with shaking hands reached into the unconscious man's jacket's inner pockets and took out his wallet. He quickly opened it, and with awkward movement, he fished out the yen bills that were in it. A few thousand at least. He dropped the walled and turned around.

Ayato had to run.

He quickly exited the apartment and ran trough the nearby park. He hid his bloody knuckles into his hoodie's pocket.

He walked trough the crowd, trying to blend it. His legs felt wobbly as he walked. Most likely because he understood that the scene he had shown to the kid had forever damaged him.

He didn't hear any cop cars or anything of the sorts, however a few people looked back at him, which he found weird. As soon as he arrived to his apartment, his adrenaline plummeted entirely and he began to feel pain on his face.

Once inside, he found an envelope on the desk – the money he was promised.

He threw off his hoodie and his shirt, both of which were soaked in sweat and he went into the bathroom.

He looked into the mirror. His own face stared back at him, only difference from usual was his purplish eye and the blood that was flowing down his face, coming from the lip. He touched it and grouched in pain. He stared back at his own black, dull eyes. His eyes traced downwards, at his own body. He was rather muscular...but that was because of the training. Training he had done to grow stronger.

Ayato touched his shoulder. The shoulder, around which a single color tattoo stretched over it, from his bicep, over to his shoulder, and over to his shoulder blade, on the left side of his body.

It was a snake that was wrapping trough a colorless, crumbling skull that was on his bicep, moving upwards around his arm. The snake's tongue was out of it's mouth as it was showing off it's fangs.

..The tattoo proved his part in the yakuza. The yakuza that was run by the same man who had ran his father and mother into their graves, leaving him with a debt bigger than he could ever wish to repay.

And thus, he had to do as the man asked of him. So he had trained.

''...Hahahaha...I'm no better than the bastard.''

Ayato laughed and turned around, decided that he needed a shower to wash off the sweat and filth.

...

The next morning came. Ayato stepped outside of his apartment as the manager was waiting for him. Ayato's was with his back as he locked the doors. He turned around and looked at the manager who was..disturbed for a second.

Over Ayato's left eye was an medical eyepatch while his lip was dry and had a black spot, obviously ripped by trauma.

He smiled and extended an envelope to him.

''Rent.'' – He said and when the manager took the money, he turned to walk to school.

* * *

_To live – it means to steal._

_To live – it means to become strong._

_And thus – he stole._

* * *

**Yo. It's the writer of ''Broken Wings''. This is an experiment I want to do with an OC. Most people write over powered, strong, tall and handsome OC's who can swoon Issei's harem like no one else. Well.**

**This OC is weak and far from a handsome lady's man. And yes, looks wise - he is like Ayato from Tokyo Ghoul. I simply wrote the look and then I used a name I've liked since forever - and the OC, on a coincidence, basically looks like Ayato from TG. Welp, who cares.**

**As expected from me - he is with his mental baggage and suffering. **

**Issei in this story, together with the other girls, will be quite relevant. **

**I will probably update this with sporadic intervals, don't expect too much from this.**


	2. Hand of Pleonexia

School was never a place Ayato enjoyed going to. It was just one of those things you had to do.

Maybe it was because he didn't have friends of any sorts. He didn't want them anyways. Friends wanted to come over, know your secrets and Ayato didn't want for people know about his secrets.

It was a rough day. The teachers and some classmates wanted to know about his lip and eye and that was a bother. Now it was the lunch break, and Ayato, together with his plastic tray of food, was hidden behind the school, near the old School building.

He was eating slowly, savoring every bite. After yesterdays happenings he decided to eat at school. He usually skipped lunch for obvious budget reasons.

He frowned. The food wasn't as tasty as he could have gotten for the same money in the cafe he worked at.

He heard footsteps. He saw Issei Hyoudou and...the prince of the school walking towards the old school building. Issei turned his head Ayato's way and stopped. He said something to Kiba and turned towards Ayato.

Ayato sighed.

Issei stopped by his sitting frame. He slowly took a bite out of his chicken and slowly swallowed it.

''mm?'' – Ayato raised his head, understanding he wouldn't go away.

''Hey, Ayato.'' – Issei said and smiled at him. –''..How are you?''

''Fine.'' – Ayato responded. He wasn't too sociable.

''..What the hell happened to your face?'' – Issei said as he sat down on the grass, across from Ayato.

''I ran into a doorknob.'' – He simply used a self-depreciating joke as an excuse.

''...Seriously..'' – Issei responded and narrowed his eyes. Sitting down like this made Issei look pretty..buff.

''..It doesn't matter. Did you want something?'' – Ayato spoke, not looking at Issei, as he ate his food.

''..About that.'' – Issei scratched his head. –''I wanted to ask something of you...''

''About your yesterdays date?'' – Ayato raised his head and looked Issei in the eyes.

His eyes widened a bit, he smiled and blushed a little. –''..Yes.''

''..I won't tell anybody about it, don't worry.'' – Ayato responded and turned back to his food. –''..Not my business.''

Issei chuckled. –''..You're a good guy.''

Ayato's arm stopped stuffing food in his mouth as he froze for a second. He moved his head sideways a bit.

''..Hey, it seems like you are pretty alone for the most time.'' – Issei smiled. –''..What's your phone number? We could hang out.''

''I don't have one.'' – Ayato responded, nonchalantly.

''..Seriously?!'' – Issei said ''seriously'' again, only this time louder. –''..Why?''

''..Becau-'' – Ayato was about to make something up as an excuse, but the bell echoed all over the schoolyard. –''..The bell. See you in class.''

Ayato said, stuffed the last little bit of food left on his plate in his mouth and went straight for the school building, putting the tray down on one of the outdoor tables along the way, leaving Issei by the tree.

..It was a bother to explain why didn't own a cellphone...although it was nice of Issei to show such an act of kindness.

* * *

It was evening as Issei Hyoudou and Kiba Yuuto were standing in front of Rias Gremory's desk. She was wearing glasses and looking at both of them.

The glasses, as Rias had previously said to Issei, helped her concentrate.

Yes...a few weeks had passed since the Raiser incident. Everything was now really nice for Issei.

''..It's a stray devil. No one really important. He injured his master with a surprise attack and ran away. I have no idea how he got here, but...he has been killing people recently...I think he means to attract our attention.'' – Rias said, seemingly tired. –''You two can take care of it, right?''

''Yes.'' – Kiba responded.

''Of course, President!'' – Issei answered with a hint of happiness to his voice.

Rias smiled and nodded. –''..The man is tall and has blonde hair. You just have too look out for his sacred gear – if I remember it correctly, it should be something that is similar to a scythe.''

''Understood.'' – Kiba responded. –''Shall we go, Issei?''

Issei nodded and turned to walk away.

''..Stay safe, both of you.'' – Rias said and turned back to her documents.

Issei smiled at her consideration.

* * *

It was a usual late-night shift end for Ayato at his coffee shop.

It had began to rain and Ayato had decided to cut down his travel time home by jogging trough an abandoned factory.

In the middle of the factory floor, as he jogged trough some broken glass, he saw a dark figure blocking the other side's doors. Trough his pride or arrogance, he couldn't figure out which, Ayato decided to not run away.

He wasn't afraid of muggers, and the reason was simple - he could fight and defend himself.

Beside, Ayato didn't have any cash, a phone or anything else worth a cent on him.

..and thus he didn't turn around. His lurking pride didn't let him run.

He slowed down his pace and moved towards the shadowy person in front of him.

He was tall. He stepped to the front and Ayato could now see his blonde hair...and his gaze.

The gaze he had seen once of twice back as a kid, when he had been in the Yakuza main house.

The gaze of a crazed killer.

''..fuck.. '-Ayato spit out and froze on the spot. His reflexes kicked in and he began to back away.

The attacker smiled and charged at him. Ayato could only widen his eyes at the attackers speed. It was inhuman. The speed was monstrous.

The attacker kicked high as Ayato jumped to his side, rolling along the ground.

The kick soared trough the air and when his foot landed, it kicked up the glass pieces inside of the warehouse, making an echoing sound.

''..I don't have anything on me.'' – Ayato said, as he tried to calm his racing heart. It had never been so fast before.

''I just want **blood**, kid.'' - The person responded and cracked his finger.

The sound of his bone crack echoed.

Ayato of course knew what the person wanted, he was just trying to waste time, in hopes of something or someone helping him.

He narrowed his eyes and sighed – the decision to not carry a knife on him was wrong.

The attacker cracked a different finger. –''..Come out, **HAO**!''

Ayato wanted to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

There, from nothing, a scythe appeared in his hand. A giant, black scythe with a long metallic handle.

He began to spin it, moving it behind his back and using his other arm to catch it. From the way he was using it, it almost seemed weightless. He extended the scythe towards Ayato.

The 5 meter gap between them became almost nothing as the giant scythe cut the air in front of him.

His heartbeat was loud. Too loud.

_It was too loud_ – Ayato was sure that he will simply drop dead any second now, because his heart was beating too fast.

The attacker stepped towards him, while Ayato kicked himself backwards, only thing in his mind was to run. To run.

_Runrunrunrunrunrunrun-_

..but it was too late.

Pain. Pain and blood. His forged body gave under the sharp edge of the attackers scythe. It didn't matter that his abs were hard as rock, as he felt his side torn apart.

None of his training mattered in front of this monster.

Blinding pain and he lost himself. It felt like an eternity for him, while it was just a second for the attacker. Ayato, of course, lost all sense of self had fallen head first at the ground.

..Something was spilling out of his side. Something dark red, something black, something that shouldn't be there. His legs didn't listen to him.

''..Not dead yet?'' – The attacker smiled. –''..Hmm. Not bad for a kid.''

Ayato heard the monster's footsteps behind him. He began to shuffle himself forwards with his arms.

It was a pathetic display, if anything. He was clinging to his pathetic life with everything he had.

The attacker moved slowly, taking his time to look at Ayato's last minutes in this world.

The attacker span the scythe around and brought it down again. This time, on Ayato's leg.

'' Gughh!-'' – His mouth let out a small scream from the pain of being impaled.

''..Are you playing with me?'' – The attacker smiled and crashed the scythe into Ayato's back. –''..Let's see how long you will hold on, **shall we**?''

He let out another scream. The pain took over everything in his mind.

Trough the pain, he heard the raindrops outside. It was raining quite heavily.

* * *

Issei and Kiba were going trough some of the stray devil's known locations. They made sure that the old house was clear before moving outside.

''How many left?'' – Issei asked, his voice uncovering tiredness. They were running all over the city in the rain.

''..Only one.'' – Kiba responded, after a slight pause as he looked at his phone. –''..Let's go. It's about a kilometer from here.''

Issei sighed. –''Sure, sure.''

He followed Kiba's lead, trying to match his speed, but it was hard for Issei, who still wasn't as strong and fast as he wished he was.

* * *

...

The rain.

He was coughing up blood. He knew he was dying. The pain and suffering was pulled away from him, as he remembered somethings about his childhood. He simply assumed it for the ''life flashing in front of your eyes'' part of dying.

He remembered being happy as a kid. He remembered the lazy Sundays with his family. He remembered his short mom that was quite childish and played with him a lot, while his father wasn't home that much.

The scene changed and he was a bit older. 8 or 9 years old.

That was the time that everything turned to trash. Something happened after that with his father.

His father changed then, becoming just a corpse of his earlier self. Before the end, before he was killed in front of his eyes.

Yes, it was true. Ayato's father was killed in front of him by the Yakuza that his father was in. The same with his mother. They both were used as a sacrifice to allow Ayato's life.

Ayato still didn't know the real reasons for the execution, but he did know that his father had failed. Massively failed.

..and he was powerless to do anything.

...the same death awaited him. To die, with his head against the ground, while he had lived such a pathetic life. It was funny, in a cruel way.

..even though he had sworn revenge. Sworn to kill everyone involved with the death of his parents.

The pain came back as Ayato felt anger brew within himself.

''**LIKE HELL I WILL THROW AWAY THAT SACRIFICE!''**\- Ayato's words echoed over the factory.

The attacker froze with his arm scythe into the air.

Ayato's life was a never ending struggle for power.

He stole.

He took.

He was greedy.

Ayato's arms flexed as he slowly, in a ghoulish way got up. His legs shook and the pain was unbearable, but he could hold on. For a bit.

His narrow eyes stared into the attackers wide ones. Blood was flowing from his nose and lips.

''...You are too _damn_ **fun**...**HAO**!''- The attackers voice pitch changed as he charged at Ayato.

His mind was cloudy and he only wanted the power. He wanted power, power - like the monster had in front of him.

He span his body sideways as the scythe came down on him. His left arm went to the front and it was gone in a split second. In his peripheral vision, he saw the stump of his left arm getting thrown away from his body. The scythe was slowed down slightly, as Ayato's other arm ,just before getting chopped off, touched the handle.

_STEALSTEALSTEALSTEALSTEALSTEALSTEALSTEAL—STEAL-!_

The attacker was thrown forward from the inertia.

The inertia of the scythe disappearing from his hands.

Ayato himself stumbled as he was sweating coldness, still staring at his single arm – the one that wasn't chopped off.

He smirked towards the attacker. His musky mind could comprehend what had happened. He didn't know how or why, but he simply had the power to _steal_. It was quite ironic that to him, of all people, this power would be granted.

''..You..'' – The attacker straightened his back. –''..A sacred gear?''

Ayato barely held onto his consciousness. It didn't matter...and thus, he copied what the attacker had done previously.

He narrowed his eyes and kicked off at the attacker, using the last bit of strength and consciousness in his mind. –''COME OUT, **HAO**!''

The attackers eyes widened as he froze up.

It was the last thing that he heard. The kid, who hat a stump for his left arm, a hole in his side and his back called _his_ scythe.

A simple swipe ,that the attacker was too surprised to dodge, took his head cleanly off.

Ayato was still holding the scythe up in a sideways motion as the dead attackers body fell to the ground.

A second later he heard the monster's head fall to the ground with a thud.

The next thud was his own body.

His sight went dark and his body lost all of it's strength. The blood from his wounds and the cut off left arm was bleeding too much.

''...sorry...mother.'' – He said, before everything erased from his mind.

* * *

It was about a minute later that Issei and Kiba arrived to the last hidding point of the stray devil they were to hunt down.

''Wait, Issei.'' – Kiba said, noticing the two bodies laid in blood...but Issei didn't listen.

''...That's...'' – He ran past Kiba towards the shorter body. –''..Ayato.''

''..The other one is the stray devil.'' – Kiba said looking at the decapitated head. –''..Did he kill it?''

''..I-...'' – Issei froze up, noticing the missing and the hole in his side. –''...why?''

''..It happens. There are always victims...'' – Kiba stated. –''..but I see no reason to not help your friend. Let's call Rias.''

Kiba pulled out a magic pamphlet out of his pocket and reverse-summoned Rias Gremory.

''..Yuuto?'' – She was surprised..and still wearing her glasses. –''What is the meaning of thi-..''

Her words cut off when he noticed the body of the stray devil..and the other one.

''..Did you?'' – She asked, ambiguously.

''Of course not!'' – Kiba responded while Issei was speechless. –''..It was like this when we arrived.''

''..Both of them were already dead?'' –She asked again.

''..Yes.''

''..P-President.'' – Issei began. –''..Ayato...couldn't have killed him without a power of his own, right?''

She nodded.

''..That means a sacred gear.'' –Kiba stated. –''..If we would leave him, the victim on our watch, dead, it would leave a permanent bad taste in my mouth..''

Rias went over to Ayato and looked at him.

''..Let's get him over to the Old School building..and get Asia.'' – She stated. –''..Kiba, take his hand as well...we can probably attach it.''

* * *

...

The sounds of the worlds came back to him, slowly. He heard someone talk. It was gibberish for a while. Then he began to feel his body.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain

PAIN.

He let out a muffled grunt of pain and the people who were talking quieted down.

He opened his eyes.

Whiteness attacked for a second, a blinding whiteness, but then everything focused into view. He jerked his body at the sudden regained movement.

''Ahhh!'' - He heard a girlish voice scream at his sudden movement and his eyes focused on her.

Ayato immediately noticed her golden hair and her big green eyes. His heart began to beat faster again, as the memory of what happened previously flooded his mind.

He remembered the blonde haired man and his power...and his mind couldn't comprehend the situation he was in. He quickly raised his arm to the side. –''HAO, CO-!''

His shout was cut off by Issei who jumped in front of the blond girl. –''Ayato! You're safe!''

Issei's face returned him to present. –''..Issei. What..?''

The rush of adrenaline dispersed and he coughed in pain, and his arm moved to hold onto his own side.

''..please don't move too much, Ayato-san.'' – The blonde girl said...and from her voice Ayato understood who she was.

''..Argento?''

She nodded wtih a smile. –''..Please rest for now, your wounds were pretty severe. And don't move your left arm.''

His eyes flickered at his left arm.

The arm that had been cut off by the monster that attacked him.

...but it was there. Bandaged up, but there, back in it's rightful place.

Ayato let out a sigh. He tried to move his fingers, but it was slow and sluggish.

He turned back and looked around. The room was classy and very western-like...it kind of reminded him of a castle's interior.

He looked down at himself. He was wearing the the same black pants and his dark blue t-shirt had a long cut on it...and then he noticed his right arm. Just above his wrist, a black, about an inch wide line that looked a tattoo, wrapped around his arm. Just a bit above the black line, there was a black rhombus.

He understood that he was in a sitting position on a giant sofa.

He then looked at Issei...and then at Asia.

''..What happened?'' – He spoke up, with his rather raspy voice that he only now noticed.

''..It's a long story.'' – Issei responded and sat down next to him, on the sofa. –''What do you want to hear first?''

''..Um, Issei-san, I will go get Rias-sama.'' – Asia spoke and exited the room.

''How am I here, right now?'' – Ayato touched his head with his arm.

''..From Rias Gremory's compassion. She saved you.'' – Issei responded.

''..The fuck are you talking about?'' – Ayato responded.

''...First, you need to understand a single thing. There are supernatural powers and beings in this world.''

The monster that attacked Ayato reappeared in his mind. His speed...and his scythe..that he called the...Hao.

''..I kind of believe you on that.'''

''...The person that attacked you was a stray..devil.'' – Issei said, after a slight pause.

''Devil?'' –Ayato sighed...because it would fit the way he was acting. –''..Continue.''

''..We are devils...as well..'' – Issei stated. Ayato's eyes widened into dinner plates. He shuffled himself back and jumped off the bed.

He almost stumbled over as he put force on the leg that had been impaled. He fell back to the furthest wall.

''..We?'' – Ayato asked. –''..You, Argento...the prince, Gremory?''

Issei nodded.

At the same time, he heard the doors open and the red haired Gremory came into the room, together with Argento and school's prince.

She threw on a poker face. –''..Yes. We are devils.''

She stepped forwards and her devil wings appeared from her back.

Ayato extended his right arm. ''Come out, Hao!'' – He whispered, but it was something everyone heard.

The giant scythe touched the ceiling and he brought it down towards everyone else in the room, in a similar fashion as the stray devil had done.

''..Is that the scythe the stray devil had?'' – Kiba asked with wide eyes.

''Calm down, Ayato!'' – Rias spoke up, as her wings disappeared. –''..We are not going to hurt you. I was the one who saved you. Lower your weapon.''

Ayato didn't lower it. –''..How the fuck could have you saved me? I was dead just a few minutes before and now I'm standing here!''

''..Minutes? It's been two days.'' - Rias spoke, casually. –''..I saved you by reincarnating you.''

Ayato froze up, as his eyes went wide again.

''..by turning you into a devil. My servant, to be exact.'' – Rias Gremory stated. –''..your hand was reattached by Asia, who has the power of healing.''

''...Fuck, fuck, fuck.'' – Ayato said, and released the scythe. It disappeared before hitting the ground.

He leaned against the wall behind him. –''...So what, I am a devil now?''

''Yes. My devil.''

''..Your devil? As in, you now own me?'' – Ayato asked with narrow eyes.

''Yes.'' – Rias Gremory smirked. –''Don't you think that's a small sacrifice to make to keep your life?''

''...'' – Ayato was speechless.

Rias Gremory sat down on the sofa while Ayato remained leaning against the wall.

''..Now. About your power.'' – Rias began. –''..Your scythe..How did you get it?''

Ayato's mind was mess. It was previously, and it was now, even more. –'...I stole it.''

''..Physically?'' – Rias asked. –''..As in..you took it from him?''

''No.'' – Ayato jerked his head sideways. –''..I wanted the power in front of me – and then something clicked inside of my mind...I understood that I simply needed to touch that fuck's spear and I would _take_ it.''

''..And you did it so easily?'' – Rias asked, sheepishly.

''..Yes.'' – He raised his right arm, showing the tattoo. –''..I think this has something to do with it. ''

''..That's probably his sacred gear.'' – Kiba stated.

''..A sacred what?'' -Ayato asked, remembering that his attacker said the same thing.

''A sacred gear is a powerful tool granted by God to humans. To rare humans. It is all by chance and the chance to receive one is very slim.''

''..God is real...'' – Ayato spoke...surprised.

''Satan is as well.'' – Rias stated.

''...but anyways, a sacred gear is a weapon in most cases...like the Scythe you call ''Hao.''..but your sacred gear apparently is something that can steal other people's powers.'' – Kiba continued.

''...Goddammit, this is too much.''

''..I can understand. You are free to leave...but come back here when you want to know something more about us and what you have become.'' – Rias stated.

Ayato quickly exited the room, without looking back at them.

''..This is pretty bad...the boy is acting a lot differently than you, Issei.'' – Rias said to Issei, who had been quiet.

''..Well, I did wake up to you naked in my bed.''

Rias blushed a little. –''..You wouldn't mind anything to see breasts, huh?''

''..Yes.'' - Issei answered and chuckled. –''..Should I go after him?''

''No. Don't bother, I think he needs some time alone, more than anything else...besides, he actually killed.''

Issei nodded and sighed.

* * *

Ayato had jogged, or rather, ran, the whole way home. He was still wearing bloody pants and a t-shirt with a cut over it's front and a hole in the back. He didn't ask for his hoodie because he was sure it had been ripped to shreds.

As soon as he had entered his room, he went into the bathroom, throwing off his t-shirt. He looked at his stomach. The hole in his side gone. Completely gone, as if it hadn't ever been inflicted.

He touched his back, around the place where he was impaled – the skin there was smooth.

''...What is this, even?'' – He spoke to himself, on the other side of the mirror. –''If I am going crazy, might as well go all the way.''

He quickly exited the bathroom, grabbed his other hoodie and shuffled up the hood.

He jogged towards the park and stopped when he noticed a car parked near it...and with a twisted luck, the streetlamp was out under it.

He moved forwards it and extended his right arm. His mind imagined the scythe easily. It's weight – it was quite light, but it wasn't weightless. He recalled how the metal, or at least, what he thought to be metal, felt under his fingers as he gripped the handle.

''Come, Hao!'' – He whispered and felt the scythe appear in his hands.

He clutched it harder and dashed at the car, bringing down the scythe in an arch downwards.

Sparks flew and a metallic echo was heard trough out the radius of him.

He stumbled backwards, in disbelief.

The car was now in two...cut cleanly, almost like the scythe could split atoms.

''..Rest.'' – He whispered, and the scythe disappeared as he began to jog back.

...

Ayato was trying to calm down...he had returned home and eaten. It was about 2 AM, but he didn't care – he was hungry. Very hungry.

After emptying his refrigerator, he had changed his clothes. His black jeans, that were covered in blood, and the cut-up t-shirt were thrown out by him and he was now sitting on his bed, leaning his back against the wall, with nothing but some loose track pants and a sweater that was too big for him.

He slowly unwrapped his left arm's bindings.

The skin around the place where his arm was cut in two was red and stretched out, almost so, that it looked like a burn mark.

He wrapped the medical brace back up.

..The curiosity got the better of him...and he extended his right arm.

''..Hao.''

The scythe appeared in his hand, almost knocking out the books on his desk, from the sheer size of it. He pulled the handle towards himself, spinning it around.

He looked at the blade part of the scythe. It was a black metallic blade, like all scythes, but the blade was a thicker and longer than a usual scythe...and both sides of it were sharp. The inner piece where it usually is sharp and the other side of it - the outer angle. On closer inspection, he noticed that in the middle of the blade's side, roman numerals were engraved in it.

[XLVII]

''..47..?'' - Ayato spoke to himself.

He span it around, and touched the light switch in his room with it.

While still clutching onto the handle, he fell asleep, with the scythe next to him.

* * *

_Yo. How are you?_

_Broken Wings were suppose to go up yesterday, while this was suppose to be up today, but this site was down._

_ so anyways, it's here, chapter 2 of this thing._

_Yes, the stray devil is something I added._

_It's pretty odd, but in the novels they were fighting stray devils from time to time - why couldn't one be like this? _

_Well, who cares._

_If there is someone who can't imagine how the scythe looks, it roughly looks like ''13's Jason'', only without the golden part._

_Did you enjoy the chapter? Have anything to say? Want to call me a moron? - please do so in the form of a review!~_

_See you next time, Broken wings will be up soon._


	3. THE TOWER

**THE TOWER/_La Maison Dieu_**

* * *

People screamed.

It wasn't like Ayato didn't know how terrible and disgusting a single person's pleads were, but this was different.

He had always heard them, as a young boy, from somewhere further than him. Some times he had been in the room, sometimes he was a room or two away, but every plead he had heard was mostly the same.

Almost always it started calmly. The person would usually ask to be spared, maybe strike a deal, or if it was someone from a wealthier background – they would usually offer money.

When that was denied, it would go to a plead. The person's voice would usually shake or tremble, as he would beg.

After that, came the tears.

After the tears came screams combined with tears.

After that, it was anger.

And then, finally – silence.

Death always brought silence. It was an unforgettable truth that Ayato had learned at a young age. Death was the end-all for a person. There was no escaping it, no escaping the silence..buy yet – he had.

He had always experienced these pleads second hand...never first-hand.

So why was he holding the scythe, like a Grim Reaper, like Death itself, cutting people down?

Why was his own arms doing the movement of killing people?

They screamed, begged, but he didn't budge, as he striked them down, without hesitation.

He woke up, jumping upright.

The daze came off as he looked around, realizing where was, realizing that it was just a dream. Ayato sighed heavily, as he felt his shirt stick to his body. He was drenched in sweat.

He grasped at his hair,the memories flooding his mind. Memories of killing random, innocent people. _Memories, that weren't his_. He clutched at his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. He sighed to himself and got up from his bed.

His sweaty feet felt cold against the floor, as he walked over to the bathroom, to wash off. He had to, quite literally, peal off the shirt and underwear from his body, as it was that sticky from his own sweat.

In the shower, he leaned his head against the wall, letting the cool water cleanse his skin.

He thought about it – his power...and he ended up at a single explanation – that together with stealing the scythe, he had stolen the memories associated with the scythe...and they came to haunt him in his dreams, as if trying to make him, Ayato, repent for the crimes of the previous owner.

He sighed again, as he began to wash his body, only then realizing that his arm felt normal...and the bandages were not around his arm when he woke up.

He clicked his tongue, remembering seeing them on his bed when he woke up, only his mind didn't register them...he had most likely scratched them off while asleep.

His messy, black hair stuck to his face as he looked at the disfigured skin around the cut where he had lost half of his arm. It was surreal.

He only exited the shower when he had began to shake from coldness.

* * *

The sunlight burned his eyes, when he exited his room.

He was a devil. There was zero doubt about that fact.

He, Ayato Yuuko, was now a devil.

He sighed, once again, as he fumbled with the lock. After a quick look at his wrist, he was sure about not going to school. There, on his left arm, where his trusty watch had been for a long, long time, it was now gone.

A memory flashed trough his mind, as he realized that he had probably lost it back when he was _killed_, in that empty hangar.

'..What a fucking bother.'' – He spoke to himself, as he went on a brisk walk towards the place of his ''death'', and pulled up the hood of his hoodie.

The streets were quite filled with people. In Japan, they were never empty. Well, at least in cities. In the rurals, maybe they were. Ayato simply skipped between the people around him, as his vision blurred from time to time...and he felt dizzy.

Was he sweating already? He just had began to walk, it made no sense what-so-ever, for him to be sweating so much from walking.

He stopped by a park and bought a bottle of water from one of the dispensers. He drunk it empty in a single swig and began to walk forward, before pulling back the hood and wiping his forehead from the accumulated sweat.

Something was off. Something was really off with his body.

He trained, he ran, he was in shape. There was no reason for him to be so tired, so dizzy and sweating so much.

He sighed again, as he neared the abandoned factory.

The factory's innards came into view, as he entered it. His eyes narrowed a bit, as he tried to shield them from the lost rays of sun coming in from the half-broken, half-demolished roof's windows.

His heart began to beat hard, as he looked towards the place where the exchange had happened. The same old, broken pieces of glass, now covered in dried blood. The area where he had tried to shuffle himself away now held a long line of red, whilst the place where the stray devil was decipated had pooled in red.

It was quite easy to understand that it was indeed blood, and that it couldn't be anything else than that.

Glass shattered under Ayato's feet as he walked over to the middle of the floor as he replayed the ''fight'' with the devil in his mind.

He looked at the other end of the factory, remembering the trajectory of himself backing up from the doors. Then he remembered the way he rolled sideways trough the glass, as his eyes turned to the side.

Remembering himself shuffling away with his side ripped open, he walked over to the place where the attacker had stood.

He raised his right arm, as he got into a stance. –''Hao!''

His voice echoed over the empty hangar, as he now has holding the scythe in his hand. The sunlight was reflected from it's sharp edge.

Sound of cutting air was heard as he swung it in an arch movement, as his mind quickly calculated where his arm could have ended up.

After making the scythe disappear he turned himself about 45 degrees to the right and began to walk.

After 10 or 15 steps he noticed the almost-camouflaged watch – crimson and black.

He leaned downwards and picked it up, wrapping it around his arm.

Memories flooded his mind.

That man had always had black, messy hair and a half-stubble on his face. His eyes were soft and open when talking to him, but always broody and narrow when not and when he was thinking about something.

That person wasn't always home. He was away more than there, but always when he came back, he would bring presents.

..This watch was one as well.

_His voice came back to him, as he remembered his father, leaning downwards and scratching his head with his eyes closed, and chuckling softly. –''..Sorry, Ayako, I forgot about it...but here.'' – He had said, and taken off the watch that always was around his wrist...so much so, that it felt weird for there to not be a watch on his wrist. –''This will suffice as a gift, right?''_

The world pulled in once again as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

''Ayako'', as he was called by his father and mother. It was a nickname - a play on words, taking the beginning of his name ''Aya'' and putting the ''ko'' from his surname, meaning ''child.''

He was called that, _color_(Aya)_child_(ko). It had frustrated him to no end. First of all, it was a girly nickname, second – he didn't have a color in him. He had black hair and black dull eyes, no color found and third – he didn't like to be called a child. He wasn't little then...

Or at least he thought that back then.

Now...he would give a lot to hear his parents call him Ayako one more time.

The watch itself was a cheap, Casio digital watch, old one at that...but it was his watch, passed down from his father...it's value was immeasurable to him.

He sighed once again, as looked at it showing the correct time – 1:34am.

His steps echoed over the glass traversing the glass filled ground, as he turned to walk towards his house...he missed school on purpose...but he couldn't allow himself to miss work as well.

* * *

Rias Gremory was a women of a particular taste...so to say that she had always expected to fall in love with Issei Hyoudou would be straight up lying. That man, the day when he had saved her from a forced marriage, had pulled on her heartstrings..in all the right ways...and without her realizing, the playful pervert, future ''Harem King'' now held a special meaning to her...he was her love.

..and now she looking at the boy, trying to keep her demeanor calm. Issei was visible shaken up by what had happened...with the girl of his past, Irina Shidou, and her friend Xenovia.

The two girls from church had defeated him and Kiba...who was now quite angry about that.

Trying to take their minds off it all...she spoke up. –''Issei. Do you know where Ayato is?''

''No, Buchou.'' – Issei shrugged, after his thoughts were disturbed. –''He wasn't in class today.''

''..Hmm.'' – Rias pondered. –''..Should we get him in here, to test him?''

''Test him?'' – Issei counter-asked.

''Yes. Remember what happened to you, right after you were made a devil?''

Issei nodded.

''I wouldn't want for the same thing to happen to him.'' – She sighed softly. –''So we should test his strengths and eventually that sacred gear of his.''

''..The stolen sacred gear, you mean.'' – Kiba stated.

''I can go get him.'' – Issei stated as he got up. –''It's evening, I'm sure he's at ''REPLY"', serving as usual.''

Rias almost let Issei leave, before asking. –''Koneko, do you know where the caffe ''REPLY'' is?''

She nodded, without saying a word.

''Can you go get him?'' – She smiled.

Koneko, without showing emotions nodded and exited the room.

Why had she stopped Issei from leaving? Well..it was a simple act of selfishness. Of greed. She wanted to spend more time with Issei..besides, he had been injured previously.

...

Ayato was serving the customers as always...the eyepatch back over his now lighter-shade of blue colored eye.

However, it was a slow evening, as Ayato was leaning against the bar counter, a bit off from the cashier who was doing the same on the other side of the counter. She was one of the girls that worked there.

Her tired gaze lingered on a single point at the opposite wall, as if she was trying to stare a hole in it. Her short bangs were pulled upwards,creating a small knot at the middle of her head, while the rest of her hair simply fell downwards, ending a bit above her shoulders.

Her outfit was made out of a white shirt, a black vest and a modest, but form fitting, black skirt. Her black stockings covered her long, slender legs, and the outfit was finished off by black shoes, with a bit of a heel..even though the women didn't need them – she was already taller than the average girl..and taller than Ayato.

Ayato let out a single chuckle. It just kind of happened that the two of them worked the same times often, so it meant that they were quite..friendly. They weren't close, they didn't know about each-other more than what work required them to, but still...it was kind of nice.

He had plowed through 3 coffee cups, waving away the tiredness, so it was possible that his eyes were bloodshot.

Working in a rather small cafe had it's merits. He knew how to cook a good amount of food..and he could make great coffee.

The cafe he worked it, called ''REPLY'' was situated on the second floor of a building..and it was quite easy to hear when a customer was to arrive.

He heard footsteps..but quiet ones, as if the person was very light.

Ayato's eyes moved to the side, meeting the cashiers gaze. His dull eyes didn't budge, but neither did her's.

''You go welcome the customer, shorty.''

''Your legs are longer, Hanae.'' – Ayato rebutted and showed her his teeth, while she did the same with her tongue.

''Should we fight..again, 'Yato?'' – Hanae grinned and narrowed her eyes.

''Bring it on, bit-!'' –Ayato was cut short as a fist went for his face, witch he easily dodged.

''I guess it's easier to dodge when you are so close to the ground, huh 'Yato?'' – She chuckled, but froze, before Ayato could deliver a line or two back at her..because both of them hadn't heard chime of the bell, that hanged above the doors.

A petite, white haired girl with hazel eyes was looking at the two workers with an rather emotionless gaze.

Both of them froze for a bit and the recovered, as Ayato stepped forwards and greeted her. –''Welcome to REPLY. It's a slow night, so you can sit wherever you'd like.''

The girl looked upwards, meeting his eyes, before answering. –''..I came to get you.''

His eyes narrowed. Who was she? This girl...could she actually be someone Masaru had gotten his hands on? A person like himself? Or maybe...this person had been sent..by a rival yakuza organization?

Ayato's eyes quickly looked at the girls sides trying to find a weapon..then at her vest...and then felt like facepalming...this girl was wearing the uniform of his school.

''You are?'' – Ayato asked, after a short bit of silence.

''Toujou Koneko.'' – She said, with her rather unemotional voice. –''Gremory-sama has asked for you.''

Ayato froze once again. The cafe job was a good way to hide from the reality of things. The fun bickering with his colleague was another way he tried to distract himself...but now, playtime was over and he had to look the truth into the eyes.

''Now?''

She nodded.

Ayato turned around and went to Hanae, as she looked at him, with a interested gaze.

''I need to go.'' – Ayato said.

''What, think I'd let you go just because your chibi girlfriend came for you, 'Yat-''

''I _need_ to go.'' – He said, putting an exaggeration on the word need, as the previous half-smile was gone from his face completely.

Hanae narrowed her eyes and nodded. –''..Just don't disappear. You'll need repay this favor.''

Ayato nodded and quickly exited the cafe, with the short girl in tow.

Hanae wasn't born yesterday, nor was she stupid. Ayato was different than normal people. The way he carried himself, his frugal way of spending money, his bruises...and the fact that she had seen him change clothes once. A tattoo like that wasn't ordinary in the least.

An expression as brooding as Ayato's didn't come from nothing.

Hanae sighed, as she heard the door's chime. She quickly walked over towards the customers, as she spoke up, in a cheerful voice. –''Welcome to ''REPLY''!''

* * *

Koneko and Ayato were now walking side by side, as he was leading her towards his own apparment.

The short girl kept quiet and when Ayato had asked for them to stop by apartment, she simply nodded. She was quite expressionless all together. Had Ayato been someone else, someone different, he would have tried to bring up the mood, lighten up the atmosphere or simply make small-talk, but he didn't.

He didn't care for it. The silence was comfortable, as he didn't want to answer any questions, and it seemed the same in regards for the girl at his side.

As his apartment came into view, they turned into the complex, Toujo by his side didn't show any thoughts of stopping...and as he unlocked his apartment's door, she was about to step inside, when Ayato placed his hand against the door frame, blocking her of going inside.

However, it didn't mean that the girl hadn't seen what was going on. A single pair of old, worn out sneakers and a single, black bomber jacket in the small hallway showed enough. The look of how run-down the whole apartment complex was, completely finished the understanding, as Toujou Koneko stepped back a step or two.

''..I'll be right back.'' – Ayato stated, and shut the door behind him, while Toujou leaned against the railing behind her.

''..A poor orphan, huh?'' – she said, to herself as she waited.

A minute or two later, Ayato appeared, having lost the cafe uniform and the eyepatch, now dressed in black sweatpants, a gray, logo-less shirt with a black zip-up hoodie above it and worn out gray sneakers, that she had seen earlier.

He locked the doors and nodded, as Koneko began to walk, taking lead.

''..Why so much black?'' – Koneko Toujou asked, as she slowed her pace a bit, allowing for Ayato to catch up.

''It's simple.''

''What is?'' – Koneko asked, not quite satisfied with the answer.

''Color black.'' – Ayato responded, walking with his hands in the pants' pockets. –''It kind of is simple, but mysterious, don't you think?''

Koneko shrugged. –''Not really.''

Ayato shrugged in return. –''Black kind of states that I won't bother you – and you shouldn't bother me. Kind of like that.''

''You don't like to talk?''

''Do you?''

Ayato sighed, while Koneko kind of half-nodded. They spent the rest of the way towards the Old School building in silence.

The doors opened without a creek, as Ayato stepped into the room, after Koneko. At the same time, he felt gazes from every corner. The school beauties, Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima, Kiba the prince and Issei Hyoudou, all turned to him.

Ayato kind of slouched, trying to appear smaller, from the dislike of being in the center of attention.

''Ayato, don't be scared, come in.'' – Rias Gremory spoke, as she waved for him to move away from the doorway.

Even though he was tense, he dropped himself on the couch, a bit away from Hyoudou Issei.

Issei waved.

Ayato nodded to that, as he heard Gremory speak again. –''..How are you holding up?''

''I'm fine..but quite tired.'' – Ayato responded.

''Ah, yes, you stormed out yesterday, we didn't even get to explain a few things.''

Ayato looked at her.

''First, newly reincarnated devils are quite susceptible to sunlight for a bit. It makes you weak and tired. Second...you should avoid any crosses, churches, holy water, and exorcists...everything of the sort.''

Ayato remained silent.

''It's simple – everything holy will damage you.''

''Damage?'' – Ayato asked.

''Yes. Burn, cut, poison.'' – Gremory explained. –''But that isn't the point of this meeting. I want to see your abilities.''

''..My ''abilities''?''- Ayato asked, with a hint of ridicule to his voice.

''Yes. You should try a friendly spar with Kiba.''

Should. The Gremory, his ''master'' had said that he ''should try'', but in reality it was a must, a thinly veiled order. He sighed. –''..A spar? Like in boxing?''

Gremory smiled. –''I guess that would work.''

...

...Ayato sighed, now standing without his zip-up hoodie. They were now behind the old school building, standing on the green grass.

He stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles. The boy opposite of him, Kiba Yuuto, held a quite different expression than usual. He was ''the prince'' and that nickname came from his stunning smile and his good looks...the smile now, however, was gone without a trace.

''Kiba isn't that good in hand to hand combat, so I don't this will be too tough, Ayato.'' – Gremory stated.

''Do you have any experience in fighting, Ayato?'' – Issei asked.

The memories of sparring in the yakuza dojo, the hours spent hitting the heavy bag, the cardio training...they flashed before his eyes for a second.

''A bit, I train in the gym.'' – Ayato responded and focused his gaze of Kiba.

''Ready?''

The two boys nodded.

''Begin.''

As Gremory spoke that, Ayato stepped backwards. Narrowly dodging a kick. His muscle contracted as Ayato shuffled his legs and raised his left arm, blocking another kick.

It hurt.

..and Kiba was fast. As fast, if not even faster, than the devil who had ''killed'' him. He quickly shifted his body sideways as he pursued Ayato, who was holding on, trying to find a time to strike...but Kiba was truly too fast.

A few punches flew above and past Ayato's head and body as he dodged them and blocked a few low-kicks with his palm.

Kiba jumped back a few steps, as Ayato noticed the subtle change. Kiba's eyes had gotten even more narrow than before..and he held a scorn on his face.

Ayato threw everything out the window, and instead of backing away, charged at Kiba, as he charged at him.

Ayato ducked and went under his kick, as he jumped back up, and as he was spinning his body around, roundhouse-kicked Kiba in the head.

There was a small sliver of surprise for Ayato, because his kick had actually worked.

Maybe devils weren't as strong as he assumed at first?

Pride. His goddamn pride...once again intervened.

Ayato, now convicted on winning, instead of holding out until the Gremory would stop them, lunged at Kiba.

His first few punches were dodged by Kiba, who had swiftly got up from the previous kick...and then he noticed Kiba's eyes.

_He was serious._

Ayato in a instant, as fast as he could jumped back, but it was too late. Kiba appeared in front of him.

Literally appeared. The boy was a few meters away one second ago, then right infront of Ayato a second later.

''KIBA, CALM DOWN!''

Ayato heard a scream, as he crossed his arms in front of his face.

And then time stopped, as he felt his stomach turn to mush.

_Pain, o pain, why did you have to come back so soon?_

Kiba's fist had struck him into his core. At first, for a split second his abdomen muscle held the fist at bay, but it wasn't enough, as the fist pulled trough the muscle and it almost felt like his spine had been struck...from the _front_.

He saw black, white and stripes, as he grabbed at his mouth, blood backing up towards his mouth, as his muscle convulsed. The familiar feeling of copper and salt attacked his sense of taste as he puked blood over and between his fingers.

He fell to his knees and then eventually to his face, sprawling in the grass.

He heard someone speak, as he completely lost himself to the darkness.

_Mother,mother,mother,mother,mother..._

_I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you...but I am too powerless to do so. My arrogance and pride, that I can't swallow, once again has brought me here, to this place of pure darkness. Even though I've had plans of my own, to avenge you, your death...father's death as well...I don't think I will able to, if this carries on. _

_It hurts._

_..Mother!_

_I don't want to be in pain...I don't want to be alone._

_I don't want to be alone anymore._

_[You have to be alone, Ayato.]_

_A voice, speaking to him._

_[Your path is the path of loneliness. If you want to live, survive, become strong...you only need yourself...__**we**__ are better off alone, Ayato.]_

_The voice spoke._

_[To be alone – to be in complete and utter isolation...it is __**our**__ fate, Ayato.]_

_The voice was familiar._

_[Now, wake up. Don't act too rash.]_

_That voice was his._

_**His own voice.**_

Ayato coughed as soon as the world's senses came back to his brain. Like a kick-started car, he trembled and grabbed his stomach.

It was in a single piece, although he felt wraps around his core...and he understood that his chest was naked...he wasn't wearing a shirt.

He quickly pushed himself up, wincing in pain, as he looked around.

Gremory was sitting at her desk and raised her eyes at him.

''Ayato.'' – She said. –''I'm sorry for what happened.''

The window let in a bit of moonlight.

''How long?''

''A few hours.'' – She responded. –''Asia healed you.''

Ayato scoffed, looking down at his abdomen..and then at his bicep...and the tattoo on it.

He grabbed his shirt that was dropped over the couch's end and pulled it over himself...and he began to wheeze in pain.

''You shouldn't move around that much, yet.'' – She stated. –''Kiba hit you quite hard.''

Ayato's eyes narrowed at her. –''Think I didn't notice?''

She rolled her eyes. –''It wasn't suppose to go like that...Kiba is just going off the wall..because of something personal.''

Ayato let out a half-hearted chuckle. So it was fine to almost kill him, if ''he didn't mean to?''

''..Your tattoo.'' – She began. –''Why do have you that?''

''Not your business, Gremory.'' – Ayato answered, as his sentence made Rias Gremory widen her eyes.

She hadn't expected for him to be so...aggressive.

''..Listen, Ayato. I know this is weird for you..but you now are a member of my family...and shouldn't keep secrets from family.''

Ayato froze for a second and then he winced...this time not in pain...but in anger. –''..A family? _A family?_ So me, a servant and you, the owner..that's called family?''

The word ''family'' in all honesty agitated him, not to mention from who the word was coming from – the schools most popular, richest girl...

He wanted to vomit.

''It isn't like that.'' – She rebutted, but Ayato had already grabbed his zip-up hoodie and was standing upright, although he was slouching a bit from pain.

''It is.'' – Ayato stated, with a cold tone to his voice. –''My personal business is none of your concern, **devil**.''

This time, Rias Gremory froze up, as Ayato once again stormed out of the room.

..It was obvious that Ayato Yuuko was a problem child.

She had looked into it. He was an average student who missed a big chunk of classes, who didn't seem to have any friends. He also didn't have a family.

On paper, he did, but not in real life. His real parents were dead...and that was it. His parents death was buried deep. Even with her money and sway she couldn't find how his parents died.

And that tattoo.

It worried her and it dawned upon her, that Ayato, her newest _knight_, could be a liability in the future...so she should try to help him.

With a sigh, she put the documents on Ayato in her desk's drawer, as she thought about a different man...Issei Hyoudou.

She smiled a bit then teleported in a red light, thinking that a bit of selfishness wouldn't be bad for her..and for Issei.

* * *

Ayato sat in the desolated park, clutching his stomach in pain.

The movement really had fucked up his insides, himself not even realizing how much damage he had suffered.

He felt bile back-up into his throat.

_It hurt._

Then he heard footsteps. Footsteps in the park. From both sides. Men in suits.

His heart began to _race_ in a single instance.

He swallowed back the bile as he looked to the front, one of the suited men stopping right in front of him.

''Heh. Fucking bastard.'' – He said. –''It's pretty funny how we finally found you...did you really think digging around for personal files about yourself while using someone else would work?''

He laughed, while Ayato couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. His vision began to grow fuzzy.

_It was enemy yakuza._

''We traced it all back to **YOU**!'' – As he shouted, Ayato was kicked in the stomach while still sitting.

''ARGH-!'' – Saliva flew, together with blood, as he slouched over, grabbing his stomach in pain.

Black and white lines began to mess with his vision, as he raised his head to look at the man, who had stepped back a bit.

''Hahaha. Without your body guards you are fucking nothing, huh kid?''

The scene slipped away from Ayato. The man in front of him, the sound, the smell, the sense.

_The pain._

Only a white and black static noise was seen by Ayato.

**And his mind split.**

_[Rest.]_

He heard a voice say, before he blacked out completely.

Outside of his mind, a kick was going for his head.

Ayato's arm extended sideways, as he caught the kick.

''huh?''

Ayato's other arm was brought down onto the leg.

_SNAP._

A sickening crunch was heard as the man's leg bent in a different direction than it should be.

Ayato pushed him backwards, as two other people dressed in suits caught him by the armpits.

Ayato, still slouching his back, his face hidden by his hair and the hoodie mumbled something. –''.._15 people. 15 humans_.''

The man with the broken leg shouted, with pure anger to his voice and the suited men charged at him, holding knives and swords.

Ayato's leg hit the ground and he jumped high.

''_**COME TO PLAY, HAO!'' **_

_He_ spun midair, as the scythe took off heads.

Blood splattered everywhere, screams echoed and _Ayato_ landed behind them.

While _Ayato _held a disfigured smile, wide eyes and he _roared_.

Rocks flew as _Ayato_ lunged at the attackers.

The enemies.

One of them charged back at him, but he was slow...so slow compared to a devil.

Before the mans katana could be brought down, _Ayato's_ scythe cut the man in half, from one shoulder to his groin, sending organs and blood into every direction.

He spun the scythe around, sending blood around in a circle at the ground, as touched his blood covered face.

The same hand came down as he cracked his index finger, using his thumb.

_''..No mercy for enemies.''_

With a laugh of madness, _Ayato_ charged.

* * *

_Hahaha, I am back._

_Most people will be wondering. Who the hell is that? Who is that?_

**_Oshiete, Oshiete, yo sono shikumi wo..._**

_Please, please, tell me_

_Who is that, inside of Ayato?_

_Not a sacred gear, not an OP being...but some of you will probably understand who. Please do guess, in the review section!_

_So that's about it. Ayato is a lot more damaged than one would assume..but that is his charm, right?_

_Or no. I am the fucked up one, writing mentally deranged characters and enjoying doing so._

_I should mention Shadenight123. I used an idea from his story._

_Thanks for reading, please leave a review if you enjoyed, didn't enjoy or simply want to call me a moron!_

_PS. Can anyone guess why this chapter is called ''THE TOWER''?_


	4. The Star

The wind rushing by his face, ruffling his messy, black hair. The rumbling between his legs, the sound of a bike's engine roaring, as he was carried through a dirt road, past falling leaves. Twirling in the autumn wind, the mix of red, yellow, green and orange simply trailed behind, and in front of him. A magnificent view, one which he never forgot.

He couldn't be older than 6, then. Ayato was holding onto the bars of the motorcycle, his upper back against his father's chest, as he was budged between the driver - his father, and the handlebars. The bike was a simple one, a pretty old, white Suzuki DRZ400SM. At least, that was what was written on the side of it, before his father had painted it over with the white that it had at the moment.

The true freedom that he felt was addicting.

''Faster, faster!'' - He shouted, happily.

He watched, as his father pulled his hand down, as he felt the rumbling, and the revving of the motor, as they were ejected forwards, even faster than before.

Suddenly, a lake came in view to his side, as they crossed a bridge. Ayato widened his eyes, turning his head to the side, watching the sun reflect from the water.

...

He woke up.

It wasn't unlike any other time - he was sweaty, tired, and his stomach hurt, as he weeped in pain when he moved. It was simple. He disliked pain.

It hurt.

He sighed, turning around in his bed, and trying to get out. He raised up, clutching at his stomach.

It took him approximately 15 minutes to get to the bathroom. He leaned against the mirror, glancing at himself. He had a cut across his nose, and his arm. Another cut was on his shoulder. All of that was slowly healing. His upper lip had a black spot, his eye was purple, but not swollen. Again.

Suddenly, his vision faltered, and he grasped at his head, in pain. This was odd. Why was he in pain, anyways? What happened yesterday, anyways?

He had went home from his school, after talking with that Gremory woman...

_RIGHT._

_FUCK_.

He was attacked by enemy yakuza. Was.

Only then did he notice the bloodstains on the mirror in front of him...and on the sink, that he was leaning against. No, actually he had noticed it, but his mind hadn't registered it the first time around.

He looked at the shower, and noticed the pile of red, blood soaked clothes. That amount of blood wasn't his, no way.

''Now do you remember?''

He heard a voice. His own voice. Turning around, he was facing himself, only dressed in white clothes. That Ayato smiled.

''What happened to you two days ago, do you remember? You were jumped by the yakuza. You escaped death thanks to me.''

''...Who, no, what are you?''

''You're talking to yourself. But you can call me Venom. It will be easier for you. I am you, just without the stops. Without the holding back, without the fear. I am the angry you. I spit venom at the world.''

Ayato simply stared, not answering, as he leaned against the bloody sink. His vision went fuzzy for a while. -''Have I gone crazy?''

''Probably. Your marbles scattered, and you killed people. Well, you can say I killed people, if that makes you feel better.''

''...I-I did?''

He asked, his voice hoarse, his eyes going wide. Sure, he had seen people die. Sure, he had beaten up people. Put some in hospitals...but he had never killed. Bile backed up in his throat, as his vision began to flash to fragmented pieces of memory - where he was using ''Hao'' to kill the yakuza. To the swords and knives, that he barely dodged.

He threw up, the acidic substance from his intestines splashing over the sink. He weeped from pain, as his stomach muscle contracted, and he retched again, this time, some red came out as well.

''Oh my. Didn't expect you to react like this. You...are weak, after all.'' - ''Venom'' spoke, without a care for his suffering.

He hated the pain he felt. Absolute agony could be used to describe it better, actually. The whole definition, the concept of pain - he hated it with all of his heart.

Barely being able to hold onto the sink, he opened the cabinet that was behind the mirror, but froze for a second. A giant, red handprint was left on inside, and the pills and other things, like his razors and mouthwash, were thrown around, messy.

He grabbed his painkiller bottle, noticing it was half empty.

''I took it, when I came back from the fight. They kicked you in the stomach again, after all.'' - Venom spoke, reminding him of it. -''But you can take more, don't worry.''

''...What fucking day is it?'' - He asked, taking more pills and slouching over the sink, drinking the ice cold water from the running tap. It tasted like shit, and he coughed more. He felt like retching once more, but tried to hold it down - the pills would be wasted otherwise.

''I came back here two days ago. You were in and out of consciousness for a while.''

He widened his eyes, leaned against the wall and looked at his watch. It was barely 5 am, so that meant he had slept for more than 24 hours. He turned around, and barely made it to the toilet.

After a few seconds, his mind registered the brown piss, and simply raised his head towards the ceiling, waiting for it be over.

''Kidney damage. You should really get that checked out, you know.''

Ayato didn't answer, as he slowly, clutching at his side, made his way back to the bed. After falling in it, and wincing in pain, he only realized how soaked with his sweat it was. He closed his eyes, trying to lock out the agony.

''Venom'' sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the edge of his bed's mattress and closed his eyes.

_''With time, many wounds will heal.''_

His mind clouded, the scene burned into white, and he began to wander through the half-lucid, pain inducing, feverish dreams.

* * *

It was late evening. He was walking through the streets, while he had priest's outfit in his bag. He had made peace with Kiba, after his anger...and the attack on Ayato. And that was a problem, too. He turned, and walked upwards a staircase, and opened the doors in front of him.

After a bell's ring, he heard a rather lax, but cute voice. -''Welcome to REPLY!''

A woman with brown hair, tied in a knot at the end of her head responded, calling out to him, as she leaned on the counter, obviously tired.

''I'm Hanae. It's a slow day, so sit wherever. When you are ready to order, please call for me.'' - She spoke, absentmindedly, when Issei came closer.

''Hello. I'm Issei...a friend of Ayato Yuuko, I guess.'' - He put on a small, innocent smile. -''...Is he around?''

Hanae's eyes narrowed, as her expression changed, from the bored and tired, to interested. -''You...are his friend?''

''Kind of. Anyways, is he here?''

She shook her head. -''No. Did something happen?''

''Not really, he just wasn't at school today. Yesterday too.'' - Issei answered, looking around. - ''Anyways, please tell him I was looking for him. He'll know me by name. I would call his cell...but he doesn't have one.''

Hanae smiled a bit. -''Sure. I'll tell him.''

''Thanks.'' - Issei said, and with a small wave, he was gone.

Hanae leaned against the counter once again, taking a swig from her coffee mug. She tried to take another one, but realized it was empty. She sighed, going into the back, and making a coffee cup for herself.

She looked at the small whiteboard on the wall...Ayato's shift was today. In her mind, she called him all the names under the sun. Lazy ass, making a girl do his work. They were short-handed in the first place, without him, it was really bad.

Hanae sighed, and went into the manager's room, woke up the computer and after a bit of searching, she went into Ayato's file, finding his address. She wrote it down on her smartphone, and quickly made her way back down to the front...but she didn't need to rush it. She sighed, once again, and began to drink her now not-as-hot coffee, waiting for the closing time.

* * *

Memories faded in and out, without a care. Some good, but most were bad. Like his father disappearing in the middle of the night, and only coming back home early in the morning. His father always thought he didn't know, but he did. He could never forget the rumbling sound his bike made, as he drove away, in the middle of the night, like a criminal.

Everything was spinning, was white, or black, for long periods of time. They were simple, nightmare inducing, feverish dreams. For some reason, he was running in a lot of them. Running, from the man that killed him. In some, his arm was missing. In some, he was simply searching for it.

He drifted in and out of consciousness, in and out of lucidity, for what seemed like forever.

* * *

Her clothes had changed to much more relaxed and comfortable ones. Simple black pants, thin boots, and a nice dark gray, thick, a size too large sweater. She was holding her phone, and raised it to look, as she stopped by an appartment complex.

This had to be it, she thought. It was pretty run down, as she moved up a pair of stairs, searching for Ayato's room number. The doors were completely worn down, and the lock was scratched to hell.

She knew that Ayato wasn't a regular guy, and she had made a point to stick out of his life...but it was his third shift that week that he missed. She had to know what was going on.

She raised her hand, knocking loudly. -''It's Hanae, open up.''

She heard a sound of rustling for a small while, but then it became silence for a longer while.

She knocked again, only this time harder. -''Open up, asshole! I know you're in there.''

After a minute or two had passed, and Ayato still wasn't answering, she banged the door with the side of her fist, as it made a rattling sound. -''I WON'T LEAVE UNTIL YOU OP-''

Her shout cut off, when she heard a very loud thud, followed by the sound of something shattering. Something glass, or porcelain.

''You alright in there?'' - She shouted, widening her eyes.

He didn't answer, so she grabbed the door handle, and pushed it down, opening the doors. It wasn't locked. Her glance lingered on a bloody hand print on the side of the wall, near his sneakers, that were dirty with something dark, and lying around in a messy way.

She walked inside, slowly, and trying to not make any noise...until she noticed Ayato, lying on the ground in only his sweatpants. His arm was bleeding, and a broken glass of water was lying on the ground, together with the scattered glass.

Ayato tried to get himself up, but wasn't able to, as his arm slid to the side, through the blood, from under himself.

''Ayato, what..?'' - Hanae ran over to him, who simply raised his head up to him, with an expression of despair. His face was still wet from the water, but it was feverishly red. His cheeks had sunken in, and his eyes were bloodshot. His right one was also purple.

She wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and helped him get up.

''...Why?''

He asked, as she carried him the small distance to his bed, that was soaked in sweat.

''I just can't leave a guy lying in a pool of his own blood.'' - She said, as she helped Ayato sit on the edge of the bed. He leaned against the wall, raising his head.

She looked at him once again, noticing the cuts on his face. He looked completely, one hundred percent miserable. His skin was hot and sweaty. Hanae threw him a bunch of paper towels, that she found in the kitchen.

''...What happend to you?'' - Hanae asked, raising her phone.

''I...'' - Ayato's eyes widened, when he noticed the phone. -''Don't call for an ambulance.''

His voice was gruff and obviously unused for a while. -''Why not? You're obviously sick as hell.''

''...Just get me some water.'' - He said, not looking at her, while he wiped off his arm.

She went to the small kitchen, found a single glass, and filled it with water, and brought it to Ayato, who drank it all in one sip, with shaking hands.

''...Listen, I'll be fine. You can go. Thanks for the help.''

Hanae sighed. -''I know we kind of made a ''deal'' to not go into each others story, but I can't leave you like this. You look so frail, I wouldn't be surprised if you died right now.''

Ayato didn't look at her, as he simply stared at the beige wall to his front. -''It's a cold. It'll pass.''

''Have you eaten anything?'' -Hanae asked, sighing. Ayato had always been stubborn as all hell, and he would never ask for help.

He shook his head.

''I'll make something for you.''

''You don't have to do that for me, I can...'' - He began, but trailed off, as his raspy voice gave in.

''You really can't. Eating is required to recover.'' - She said, throwing off her sweater on the edge of the bed, uncovering her simple, gray t-shirt. -''It's pretty hot in here.''

Ayato nodded, still staring at a single point.

She went into the small kitchen once again, rifling through the cabinets for some food. She did find some rice and eggs.

She poured some water in a bowl, threw the rice in, found an old frying pan...and then she stopped thinking along. Her mind went on autopilot, as she made the food. She was used to making food, after all. She looked around, as she waited.

It was a depressing apartment, for a depressive looking teenager. She could call him a teenager, since she was older, a few years so. She turned back to take the food off from the stove, but got scared, as she heard Ayato open the faucet, pouring some more water in the glass.

His black, sticky hair had been pulled back, as he drank the water without a care, still slightly shaky arms. He slouched, and turned around, taking the paper towels, and wiping off the blood from the floor. It came off easy.

''...Why did you come?''

His voice came out gruff, and quiet, after he had thrown out the paper towels. He never was one for talking, she knew.

''You missed days worth of work. And you disappeared on the day there was that multiple-murder thing in that park nearby...'' - She said, but trailed off, when she noticed Ayato staring at her, with wide eyes. -''What?''

He leaned his head down. -''First time I've heard of it, was surprised.''

Ayato began to wipe the blood of the floor, so Hanae glanced at his arm...the wound from the glass had stopped the bleeding pretty quickly, and already scarring over.

She put the food on the small table, and Ayato half-walked, half-limped to it, sitting down to eat. He did it quickly, as if not eaten for days.

''You're really starved...'' - Hanae spoke, narrowing her eyes. -''I wonder what truly happened.''

Ayato stopped, the fork in his hand half way to his mouth. -''What?''

''I mean, a cold would not get your face cut up like that. I'm not stupid, as much as you'd like me to be.'' - She answered, with a scoff. -''You were not yourself the last week or so. You're way more on edge than you have ever been.''

''Just your imagination, Hanae.'' - Ayato answered, continuing to eat. -''I have no idea why you are helping me.''

''...A normal guy would be happy that a girl as cute as me would be taking care of him, without him asking. C'mon, be happy. Tell me that I'm great!'' - She boasted, smiling, trying to make Ayato laugh.

Ayato smirked slightly. -''Thanks.''

''Kind of like that, only with more enthusiasm.'' - She answered. -''The restroom is those doors, right?''

Ayato nodded, and continued to eat, while she went to it, after opening the doors, Ayato exclaimed something from the kitchen, but she froze, standing with half of her body inside of it. Her eyes tracked from bloody sink, towards the bloody pile of clothes thrown in the shower.

Suddenly, she felt her body get pushed on, and she ended against a wall. Her eyes widened, her heartbeat skyrocketed, her legs began to tremble.

She looked down at Ayato...who simply released her after a few seconds of her being pressed against the wall.

''...I can explain.''

''You can? Because frankly this is freaking me the fuck out, Ayato.'' - She answered, sliding to the side, backing up from Ayato, who simply clutched at his side.

''...I was one of the guys who was attacked that night.''

She froze, not moving at all.

''But I ran away. Some crazy guy attacked the people in the park, but I got away.'' - Ayato shrugged. -''That's all there is to it. I got sick from stress, I guess.''

''You're lying. The police told everyone died, that there was a witnesses...'' - She froze, mid speech, remembering the headlines...

_[An eyewitness noticed a person dressed in black, splashed in blood, run away from the crime scene.]_

''...Oh my god, Ayato...the police think you are the perpetrator. The crazed killer.'' - She shouted at him. -''We need to call the police, you need to explain everything to-!''

Ayato grabbed her hand and placed his other hand on her mouth, as and pulled her along to the living room, as she just followed, bewildered.

''...I can't.'' - Ayato answered, when he released her, leaning against a wall.

''This isn't just something you can't do, this is something _you need to do!_ Right now. The longer it takes, the worse it will be, when they track you to back here. Even I'm skeptical, and I am probably the only person who you can call a ''friend''...''

She was obviously stressed out, but Ayato simply kept staring at a single point, as if listening to someone or rather, deep in thoughts.

''We passed the point of no return.'' - Ayato spoke. -''I can't call the cops, since I'm yakuza.''

''...huh?'' - She asked, blinking a few times.

''You saw my tattoo, that one time.''

''I though you maybe were in some kind of a street gang or something, but yakuza...you're not joking.'' - She spoke, as they both stared at each other.

''I'm not.'' - He said, with a sigh. -''I didn't choose to be, of course. My father...he was yakuza.''

Silence followed, and the atmosphere tensed.

''...Right.'' - Ayato let out a nervous chuckle. -''I'll explain it. Yakuza and cops, they hold a really thin margin between their relationships. If the killing would be related to someone like me, that comes from that Yakuza, there would be a japan-wide outrage.''

He coughed, after having talked so much.

Hanae though for a second, before answering. -''It's not like that anymore, right? Yakuza isn't as violent like back in 1980s, right? If you explain, then...''

''No.'' - Ayatu cut her off. -''It's about control. Yakuza fighting over control. The whole thing will be silenced, nothing will ever come of it.''

''So, it was a different Yakuza that attacked?'' - Hanae stepped closer, into Ayato's face. -''Is that what you are saying? Fighting inside of the yakuza families?''

Ayato glanced to the side, dodging her eyes. -''Yes.''

She stepped back, realizing she had went into Ayato's personal space, making him uncomfortable.

''I know it's hard for you to stay quiet, since I explained this...but don't worry about it all. Nothing will come of it, trust me.''

''...Not my business, ah.'' - She said, with a long sigh. -''You seem better.''

He nodded, but then his head shifted towards the hall, and then someone knocked at the door, and without waiting for a second, entered. His footsteps echoed, and Ayato quickly stepped forwards, to intercept the someone who was coming in.

''Can we talk outside?''- He asked , with narrow eyes.

Hanae noted the obvious anger.

''You look terrible, so it was -'' - The man spoke, as he walked inside of his room, not caring for Ayato, and he widened his eyes, as he noticed Hanae inside of the room.

The man was tall and wore an expensive looking suit. He smiled, looking at her. She was unsure what to do, because Ayato was simply scowling at the man.

''Oh, didn't know he had a girlfriend. I'm Masao, nice to meet you.'' - He said, with a smile.

''...I'm not his girlfriend. Just a friend. I'm Hanae.'' - She answered, but stating only her name. Ayato scowled even more, after she said it.

''I see.'' - He said, turning towards Ayato. -''I needed to talk with you, but it seems like you are busy. It can wait. Come visit me tommorow.''

Ayato stared him down, and then nodded.

''It's nice to hear that we have an understanding.'' - Masao said. -''I'll leave you two to it.''

And he left, shutting the doors behind himself.

Ayato leaned against the wall again, sighing.

''Was that...?'' - Hanae asked ambiguously.

''Yes. From the Yakuza. He's a leader of the Kuoh branch.'' - Ayato answered, with narrow eyes. -''Please keep away from him. It's good you didn't tell your surname...although I'm sure he'll find out.''

''Should I be worried?''

He hesitated. -''No.''

That didn't assure her. They stood in silence for a small while, and then Hanae took her sweater from the bed, throwing it on. - ''I'll get going then. It's pretty late, anyways.''

Ayato took a shirt from one of the chairs in the room, and threw it on, and followed Hanae too the hallway, where he put on his dirty sneakers.

''You are going to come with me?''

He nodded, not saying anything more.

They both exited his apartment, as Ayato stopped for a second, inhaling the air, before coughing a few times. It was dark outside, the streetlights and cars illuminating the dark asphalt.

Hanae glanced back, thinking.

''Are you actually escorting me back home?'' - She asked, when Ayato moved to her side, and they began to walk.

''Kind of. It's dangerous around here.''

''And you'd be able to protect me?'' - She asked, with a small smile, jabbing at him.

''Probably.'' - He said, glancing back at her.

''You know how to fight then?''

''Yes. I'm pretty strong, actually.'' - He said, ruffling his own feathers. -''Not now, though. I feel weak as hell.''

''I feel like a girl in a shojo manga.'' - She laughed, looking at Ayato, who simply looked the other way.

Hanae had seen his body, since he was shirtless previously, so she had to believe him. She only wondered...

''Do you know how to fight, just because of Yakuza?''

''Half is that, yes.'' - He answered, and then went quiet for a while, when they walked. Only after a few minutes, he began to speak again. -''Yakuza is pretty cruel. I wanted to be strong myself, so I pursued becoming strong myself as well.''

Hanae smiled. -''It's nice when you actually talk.''

He looked at the ground. -''You need to talk about yourself, too.''

She stopped, widening her arms to the sides. -''I'm a perfectly average, cute girl. I'm like an open book! Ask me anything!'' - She said, with a wide smile.

Ayato smiled a bit, and they continued to walk. -''What are you doing right now, in life? You're older than me, right?''

''Yes. I'm a 21 year old college student.'' - She said, without any problems. -''I plan to travel later in life, then maybe settle down.''

''21, huh..''

''I'm not that old!'' - She shouted, into the night. -''How old are you, anyways? 19?''

''No, I'm 17.'' - He answered.

''...You're still in school then?'' - She asked, wide eyed.

''Yes, unfortunately.''

She snickered. -''Not one for studying?''

''Not at all.'' -Ayato responded. -''I'm just surviving, you know.''

''You're parents...they aren't around anymore, right?'' - She asked, boldly.

''No. For a long time, no.'' - He said, without hesitating.

''I see. Me too.''

Ayato froze on the spot.

''I live with my stepparents. They are very nice and kind to me.'' - She answered, with a smile. -''The best thing that happened to me.''

''...I see.'' - Ayato caught up with her.

''Do you not live with your step-parents?''

''...No.'' - Ayato responded. -''It's a long story. I'll tell you about it, one day. If you want, that is.''

Hanae turned her head to the side, with a small. -''That'd be nice.''

Silence followed for a quite a while, before he could notice, she had stopped. -''This is my house. '' - She said, nodding her head back.

Ayato glanced at the two-story house. She was standing, leaning against the fence.

He glanced at her long, slender legs, then at the sweater that was a bit too big for her. It was covering her small breasts. Her hair was just a bit disheveled, and it stopped on top of her shoulders. Her straight bangs barely covered her eyebrows.

She narrowed her eyes a bit. -''You are so obvious at checking me out. ''

''You should really let your hair down more often. It suits you.'' - He said, showing his teeth.

She blushed only slightly, waving her hand. -''Don't become soft like this on me now, 'Yato!''

''I won't.'' - He said,tilting his head to the side.

''Stay safe.'' - She said, opening the gates to her house. -''If you miss one more day at work, I will personally kill you, I promise.''

''Sure. Thanks for everything.'' - He said, waving, and then disappearing into the night.

She wasn't really sure what to think about him. She was still worried about the park incident...she just wanted to know more about the boy.

* * *

He jogged, clutching at his at the same time. He cursed the fact that he didn't have a hoodie anymore, so he was just wearing a black -t-shirt, that barely even covered his tattoo.

_IT FUCKING HURT._

''Venom'' was jogging next to him, not breaking a sweat.

''Don't tell me you actually fell for the girl.'' - He asked.

Ayato simply ignored him,as he crossed a street, running into the park. He slowed down, coming to a walk. He wheezed, like an old man, still clutching his side. He was feeling a lot better, of course, but he was still not recovered.

He drove his hand through his own messy hair, pushing it in front of his eyes, as he made a b-line towards the middle of the park, towards the benches.

And then he noticed the yellow police tapes put around the benches, right where he had been attacked. He creeped up on them, looking over them. The blood had been cleaned. One of the benches was destroyed, but he didn't remember how.

''You don't remember?'' - Venom asked, jumping over the yellow tape. -''The guy who cut your nose was attacking here, so I kicked him towards the bench. When he sprawled over it, I brought Hao down like this.''

He showed a swinging motion, from above.

''He completely ripped in half. It's a shame you don't remember what you did.''

Ayato narrowed his eyes, speaking. -''It wasn't me. It was you, the demon. It wasn't my fault.''

''Oh boy, you are delusional to shit.''

''I...'' - He began to talk, but stopped for a while. -''From this point...I know it wasn't me. I'm not a killer. You are, not me.''

''I'm just the bigger of the two evils, Ayato.'' - He spoke. -''Just remember...you can't escape yourself.

Ayato turned around, beginning to walk back to his apartment. He had a lot to do.

* * *

_Author's notes._

_I'm continuing this. I have a burst of inspiration, and I'm creating a nice, rather short story. I completely changing everything i wanted to do with this. This won't focus on devils. This will be a story about Ayato. _

_and Hanae. I hope you learn to like her...since plays a giant part of this. _

_I profusely apologize. This was suppose to be a story about a descend into madness for Ayato. Now, this will be something different. I thought that devils would play a large role. Betrayal too...but not now._

_Ayato will run from everything._

_Fan of TG/Guest/ - About the Tarot cards...congratulations. You are the first one(in writing) to state that he understands. Yes, my stories are veiled with tarot cards. The numbers matter. _

_Yes, I am pretentious. _

_Leave a review. Especially, if you are angry at where this is going._


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